Artist Facebook and Twitter

We thought it would be suitable to set up a Facebook and Twitter account for our artist. We already have an instagram where we regularly post pictures and keep it updated. As you can see in the image above, we have a link to all of these things, therefore we needed to make the accounts and it is very common for artists to keep their fans updated on their Twitter, Facebook and Instagrams as well as using them as an advertising technique. 

We can direct to our target audience using these social networking sites because they're all something that is popular with them and a way for them to reach out to use (our artist) as well. They allow us to build social networks or social relations among people who, share interests, activities, backgrounds or real-life connections, in our case a music genre or specific artist. A social network service consists of a representation of each user (often a profile), with social links, and a variety of additional services such as images and videos - perfect for our purpose.
Most social network services are web-based and provide means for users to interact over the Internet. Social network sites are varied and they incorporate new information and communication tools such as, mobile connectivity, photo/video/sharing and blogging. Online community services are sometimes considered as a social network service, though in a broader sense, social network service usually means an individual-centered service whereas online community services are group-centered. Social networking sites allow users to share ideas, pictures, posts, activities, events, and interests with people in their network.

Updated Website

This is what our website looks like right now. I can't even tell you how many times it has changed. Whether it was just a small font or colour change to completely new layout. It was hard to feel 100% satisfied with anything, it seemed every time we re-opened the website we both wanted to change something about it. Artists need a catchy and entertaining website for the following reasons; Credibility & Professionalism - If you’re in a band or a solo artist and truly serious about making it in the music industry, having your own domain name and website is an absolute must. Nothing is worse than when you hear a new band and all you want to do is check them out on the web, but your only option is to look at an unorganized, cluttered MySpace page. The best way for a band to build credibility on the web with their fans is to have their own website. Marketing & Promoting – Composing great music is the real key to success, but Marketing & Promoting could potentially be the ‘make or break’ of an artist.  It’s pretty hard to build a fan base when little or no effort is made to ‘get the word out there’. An artist with a nice clean website that is well-branded has endless possibilities for marketing and promotions. Build a true fan base – Although social networking sites do hold value, the goal seems to be for most to get as many ‘fans’ as possible. The question then becomes are they fans that just want to see their ‘friend’ count go up, or are they truly a fan of your music. A band with their own website can have a much deeper connection with their fans and will easily be able to solidify ‘who’ their fan base is. Giving fans the option to sign up for a newsletter or join the forums on your website is invaluable when it comes to building a fan base. Fans want you to have a website. Have the EDGE – This point is pretty easy, but powerful. Let’s say your band has direct competition with another band. Having your own website and all the things that it brings to the table could be a deciding factor in giving your band the EDGE to beat out the competition. To wrap things up, if you’re dedicating the time, effort and money to having a band, take that extra step and have your own website. Give your band the ability to reach potential fans around the world.

Final Video

Last bits of Filming

We found ourselves with gaps still in the video which was not ideal at all seen as the deadline was very close. We had to plan a day to film and come up with an idea, and very quickly. We did some research into ideas which were basic and easy to do but very effective.  A popular and re-occurring idea was candles which seemed appropriate for our video and would fit in really well. Because a lot of the footage we have is in a low key lighting filming in a dark place with false lighting, such as candles, would fit in perfectly. A popular location to film with candles were places like forests and baths.

We had already done filming in the forest and thought we weren't the most appropriate girls to be using fire in a forest... Therefore the bath setting seemed most likely and convenient. We filmed at my house and fortunately my mum likes candles and random things like candelabras therefore we were very lucky and didn't have to spend any money on trying to make the scenery look good. 

We went through the video and had to delete some of the footage due to criticism however we knew it was necessary if we wanted the best possible outcome. We watched through the video and marked out what sections were missing, second for second, so that when it came to filming we knew exactly what we needed to do with the lyric that went along. Throughout the project we have done 4 bits of massive filming however with things that went wrong, we’ve found ourselves filming short sections about eight or nine times. Therefore we really wanted this to be the last of it. Even though filming is fun, it’s a lot of effort. Our whole class has to share the cameras and tripods, and sometimes people can be unreliable, not to mention finding different locations and outfits, plus Claudia having to do her make-up with false eyelashes every time. Thankfully I’m just the director, producer and camera girl!

DigiPack

This is the final product of our DigiPak. We have taken and manipulated all the images ourselves and very proud of the outcome. The images are from a variety of the shoots that we done at a series of locations, all to be explained below.

This image would be the back panel of the DigiPak. It is the image that we made ourselves. Originally it was to be used on the website, however we found it suited a logo type thing instead and worked perfectly for the merchandise and DigiPak. Because it is on the merchandise, (if this were to be real) it's something fans would recognise and be able to relate to with the artist. We simply used 'Paint' to change the image by adding the song titles. We found a font that we both really liked on a website called 'Dafont' which is something we regularly use. Making up the names for the album was a fun task to do together, because we had done so much research on the artist and other artist that fall into the same genre, making names up wasn't hard to do at all.

I love this image mainly because of the lighting and the props. The crystal jewellery set mixed with pearls and candles create a really authentic and edgy look. The antique bed posts and background stimulate a mysterious thought for the viewer. Something as well which wasn't intentionally meant to be was the open wardrobe door. Where the contrast was lifted, it makes the inside look pitch black and impossible to see what's inside, again adding to the mystery. What makes the image the most effective is the detail of Claudia and mainly her top as a person, contrasting with Claudia in the reflection - she is blurred out and it is almost like there is two different people. This reflects the album and our song 'Thirteen Thiryfive' in particular.

I absolutely love this image and think it is perfect for the front of the DigiPak. We simply added the font on PowerPoint. It seems that PowerPoint had been used a lot more than Microsoft Word which is unexpected but throughout the course, I have found PowerPoint to be a lot more useful and efficient. This image was simply taken with a plain black backdrop, Claudia standing straight and holding a leaf over her right eye. We edited the image using an app on the iPhone and love the outcome. It really focuses on the dark areas of the image and makes the leaf look slightly fake even. It's almost like something is crawling over Claudia's face. The black and white really works because it makes the white font really stand out.

We were able to manipulate this image further on PowerPoint after editing on a PC software. We thought it made the facial features, especially the lips, stand out more by adding this marker effect on it. It also allows the font to stand out more. It is common in a DigiPak to have an introduction or 'welcoming' from the artist. We chose this quote because 'Lost Thoughts' is a title for the first track on the album. The composition of having the shot taken from behind the shoulder is really competent. The fact you can't see Claudia's hair in the mirror but can in the actual photograph is also very visually effective. The facial expressions of Claudia throughout the images and the whole video are very simplistic and bland however this is really what we wanted to fit in with the genre and to create the artist.

This is the CD panel and I think the back image fits really well. It is a picture we took when we was filming at the beach. It had been edited on Microsoft PowerPoint so the colours really stand out and the contrast increased to make the sun really project over the sea. It's a basic but effective image, that's why I think it's most appropriate for the CD panel. There is not attention and isn't a vital image (for example a close up of Claudia) therefore it's not much of an issue that it is covered with a CD but still pleasant to look at when the CD is not there. We love this image as was initially going to use it on the website, however we changed that but still wanted this image somewhere significant in the project so it almost seemed perfect to be here.

This section was the hardest to fill. We knew we wanted one of the 'bath' shots but there was three that we equally liked. It involved a lot of swapping and changing before we were set on what image we wanted
there. We chose this one because of the warmer filter it has on it. It fits in with the beach shot (above), the sepia mirror image and the colours just seemed more natural. It compliments the candle light and Claudia's skin tone and hair colour. The close up is effective because nothing is really that clear - the stone sculpture for example, it's not entirely clear what it is but still looks effective and like it's supposed to be there. The close up also allows the attention to lay with where or what Claudia is looking at, but obviously you cannot see. All of the other images were either looking directly into the camera or downwards, however all of the other images were like this, therefore having one where she is looking in a complete opposite direction allows variation.

Possible Images for DigiPack

I think this image would be very suitable for the DigiPak. It is a photograph we took when filming in the woods at South Weald. It captures the scenery and location of the music video. The colours are contrasting and Claudia really stands out. It signifies the individuality and the genre that the artist falls under. It also resembles the song that id the focus of the album – Claudia is standing alone in the middle of a forest which captures the lonesome of the song.

Personally, I love this image. I think it is stunning and truly captures emotion. It is a powerful image to look at and would look very effective in the DigiPak.  I have edited the saturation of the image to very low so it is almost black and white, but still expresses the colours of her hair and lipstick – this adds a professional effect on the image also.

This image is a little different. I think that’s why I like it so much. It would add variety to the DigiPak. The contrast has been altered to full and changed to black and white. It extenuates the tear rolling down Claudia’s face, which again adds to the emotion and represents the genre. Unlike pop, the images aren’t focused to be ‘bubbly’ or ‘happy’ because that’s not what the artist or her music is about.

I’m not overly keen on the image because I feel it is very mainstream and has the feel of pop genre. I visually enjoy the concept of it and feel it stands out (which is necessary) however i feel if it was on a shelf in a shop such as HMV, the public wouldn't take it very seriously. Especially our target audience - it seems like it would target a more childlike audience and that is definatly not something we want. 

Email to Dillon

This is the email we sent to the managing company of 'Dillon' that we found on her official website. It was just to ask for permission to use her song. In case of things such as copyright. However, we still have not received a reply after waited for months. Therefore, they still haven't acknowledged it or simply do not care if we use the song or not.

DigiPack Research

Photo Shoot for DigiPak

This was a small photo shoot we set up to get together images for the DigiPak. We decided to take pictures throughout my house using a '..' camera. This camera is advanced and compact and gives the most professional result. These set of images to the left are a mixture of experimentation. The close up shot in the middle page is one of my favorites. I love the shape of Claudia's eyelashes and how the camera really focuses on them. I also love the colours. Where I have turned down the saturation towards black and white but not fully reached it, therefore it adds so much tone to her hair and makes the lips really stand out.

These images to the right focus on reflection and really create a sinister effect - which I love! The camera allows the image to hold so much detail which is what we need for the DigiPak. The images are simple and don't have too much going on. My favourite is in the top right corner. The simplicity of Claudia holding a mirror with her hair peaking in is the perfect composition. Her make-up and face looks flawless and also represents the products that will be sold as merchandise on the website, so there is an aspect of advertisement as well as visually creative images.

I really enjoy the images where Claudia is looking up with her head tilted. It adds a sense or arrogance but because she looks so beautiful it works. I also really like the over exposed image - a lot like the other close up images, it enables the eyelashes and lips to really stand out, more so than any other image. The range of lighting is something I really like as well. I'm not sure whether I prefer the dark images because of the more mysterious effect however the bright images would be more eye catching especially for the DigiPak - something that needs to grab attention.

These images (to the right) were taken when we was filming the bath, candle and outdoor footage. As you can see the images to the left are the original ones and to the right are the same images which have been manipulated using an Iphone5 image editing program. It enables you to enhance the contrast and change the filter of the image. These are probably my favorite set of images because they are so mysterious and authentic. The way the have been edited as well changes the image completely. They emphasis the big eyes and dark lipstick as well as the candle light. The stone sculpture in the background also adds to the mysterious effect of the setting and location. Where the shots are relatively close, its hard for the audience to establish where the shot has been taken - which is the effect we wanted.

New Merchandise

Storyboard

Merchandise

The connection started from the name of our artist. What could be linked (visually) to Lila Eden? It only seemed natural to use the theme of ‘The Garden of Eden’. This also meant we could use a label for the male and female fans of the artist being Adam’s and Eve’s. This came from the inspiration of various artists who use the same sort of thing for their fans. Eg. Lady Gaga has her ‘monsters’ and Pixie Lott has her ‘Kittens’.

We wanted an image which would be suitable to be printed on to a t-shirt or bag therefore nothing to over the top. Still linked with the theme, but simplistic and elegant – a lot like the artist; Lila Eden. After prowling google for hours, we found this image that seemed extremely appropriate. It is a half eaten apple – the apple linking in with the biblical story. The image is a painting which adds to a quirky effect. It has roses placed around it which adds a feminist effect.

We chose to design a female and male t-shirt, key-ring and canvas bag because all of these items fall in to the category of our target audience. The bag and key-ring is something a bit more fun and is just an option for buyers is they don’t want a t-shirt – they are also priced cheaper which is more practical for younger consumers who have a much lower income.

The merchandise is something that would be sold on the website all year round therefore fans/consumers could buy the merchandise purposely for a tour – to wear on the day they were going to see Lila Eden. As well as being sold at the concerts. It is more likely that there would be more choice of items at the actual gig because it is a successful way to bump up income – not to mention brochures that would be sold at concerts. These are normally extremely popular people fans want a memo from the show but perhaps not a top – that is where we was heading with the bag and key-ring. 

The name is also placed on the tops for advertisement purposes. This way her name and ‘image’ will catch on, especially if the tops are something that would be popular for fans. From our website research, when looking at merchandise and seeing a range of products, basic t-shirts are ALWAYS an option.

Website Design

Once we had chosen the final image, it was time to actually start designing the website. It took a lot of patience, obviously with the constant judgement of both Claudia and myself on different colours, fonts, styles etc... We had to come to an agreement with everything. For example, the main colour scheme, shown in the image (left). Experimenting played a large part in this section of the project. Changing a colour, leaving it for a day, looking again and changing it. We should also shout out to our class mates because they had an input when asking for an opinion - someone who wasn't familiar with the layout etc. For the main colour scheme we decided on pink. The main reason being that it is girly, and our artist isn't girly at all therefore it shows a contrast between the artist - what she's actually like and how she dresses. This is only the start of the website, future lessons are planned to working on both the website and Digipak; seeing as they run parallel, especially with things like images and the track list...

Website Ideas

It took Claudia and myself a long, long time to decide on an image for the back drop of our website for the homepage - something that the audience will instantly view when previewing Lila Eden's website. We wanted something that represents her as an artist, her music and the genre but still really grabs their attention. Because we have the running theme of 'The Garden of Eden' we wanted  something that would fit into that also. We looked at the 'traditional' imagery (top left) of what the garden is supposedly said to look like. However, most of the images we found were too bland and not eye catching in the slightest. This is when we found the 'alternative' version of what the Garden would look like (above right). It is extremely strange and outlandish which contrasts the music but fits the artist, so there lies high potential with this image.  

For back up we decided to look into something more simplistic but still keeping with the mystical and garden like theme. Woods was something that instantly sprung to mind. These two images were something we visually enjoyed. 

The focus on the colour of the sky creates the attention and draws the eye in. The trees and twisted twigs adds a sense of spookiness which represents the connection of genre. Something else we found was completely abstract. A forest filled with fairy lights - now this is something that defiantly fits in because we have in-corporated fairy lights in the music video itself! It creates a fairy tale effect which can also be said about the Adam and Eve tale.

This is the final image we want to incorporate in either our website or DigiPak. Our ideal idea for the website is to have a slideshow of a range of images and photographs, presenting all the different outfits and locations we used for this particular music video, so when you enter the site, you are immediately drawn in to the images and carry on looking through the website. This image below is a collage of all of our favourite images that we have mashed and cute together to create an alternative and 'wacky' image. It still represents our them of 'The Garden of Eden' - having the apples, the traditional imagery and the alternative one. This creates an effective and weird contrast but works really well and think that would catch the attention of the viewers.

More Filming

Video and Feedback so far

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